Car-coupling



(No Model.)

H. e. BUHOUP.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented Deo. 28

A TTOHNE Y.

M: uonnvls Packs oo.. rncrauma.. wnsnmuron. n. 1:.

ATnN'r Fries@ HARRY C. BUIIOUP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINCIS.

CAR- COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofl Letters Patent No. 596,358, dated December 28, 1897.

Application led May 22, 1895. Renewed September 20,1897. Serial No. 652,371. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern: l

Be it known that I, HARRY C. BUHOUP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a car-coupler embodying my invention in its preferred and complete form. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan View of a modiiication thereof; and Fig. 4 is a partial vertigal section of the modification on the line y y,

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My present invention relates to the construction of that class of couplerswhich are in effect buffers as well as draw-bars,and while the improvements are applicable to close couplers in general, or those of the Janney type, they are especially applicable to couplers wherein the head has a plurality of pivotal connections with the stem or stems,which afford atleast two distant spring-supported or otherwise yielding points, on either of which the head can rock to accommodate the changeof-force line either in buffing or curving; or, in other words, the present improvements are especially applicable to the class of couplers described in and covered by my former Letters Patent, No. 480,839, dated August 16, 1892.

While, therefore, the main objects of the present invention are the same or substantially the same as set forth in my former patent hereinbefore referred to-viz., to guard the coupler against destructive force in buffing and the stem and platform from injurious lateral strains in curving--I have still other objects in view-to wit, to reduce and graduate the resistance to the movement of the coupler-head in curving and buffmg and to adapt the coupler to center-draft-timber constructions of platform and cars.

To this end the main feature of my invention embraces the combination,with a couplerhead and stem having longitudinal movement with relation to each other, of an interposed resilient medium whereby the coupler-head may move upon and independently of the stem or stems under the initial force in bufing or curving.

A-secondary feature of my invention embraces the combination, with a coupler-head, yof a bifurcated stem or a stem having a plu' ler thereby adapted to use with center-drafttimber cars. v

There are other minor combinations and features of invention, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more specifically, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates a coupler-head, preferably of the Janney type, with the usual guard-arm ct and knuckle Z2; B, the stem, with relation to which the head is longitudinally movable and may be pivotally connected therewith, as will hereinafter appear; C C', the follower-plates; D, the usual interposed bufing and draft or tail spring; E, the tailbolt, (in lieu of which the well-known and commonly-employed tail-strap may be used,

if desired,) and F the stirrup for supporting the coupler and which is attached to the under side of the platform in the ordinary or any approved manner.

The stem is composed of two converging members 1 la, which, if preferred, may be rigidly connected at their juncture with the tail-bolt or tail-strap, (see Fig. 3,) but are preferably independent'of each other and are pivotally connected with the tail-bolt E, as at 2, (see Fig. 1,) so as to be capable of independent lateral movement, though moving in unison longitudinally. The forward or divergent ends of said members l l:t are connected with the coupler-head at distant points, preferably opposite the guard-arm a and to the outside of the pivotal point of the knuckle b, and while both of said connections may be of a pivotal character and also such as to permit the longitudinal movement of the head on the stem one only may be pivotal-viz., that on the knuckle side of the coupler-head, (see Fig. 3,) while the other (the one on the guard-arm side) may be such as to permit IOO only the longitudinal movement of the head independent of its stem. The preferred construction, however, is that indicated in Figs. l and 2, wherein the connection of the head with both members of the stem is the same and is made by means of pivot pins or bolts 3 3 on one element of the combination and elongated slots t 4E in the other. In order to yieldingly and resiliently support the head on the members l la of the stem B to permit the movement of the head independently of the stem in curving and to receive the iirst impact in buling, springs 5 5 or equivalent resilient devices are inserted in pockets in said members l l (or in the pocket of one only, as the case :may be) and bear on the coupler-head back of the points of connection between head and stem, and as such springs can be of much less power than what would be required for both draft and bui-ling the head can be constructed vto yield more promptly in curving and buffing, thus in the one case relieving the platform and stem of strain and in the other more read ily deflecting and avoiding blows liable to fracture the guard-arm. In case the members l l" are independently movable laterally (see Fig. l) some resilient medium (preferably an independent laterally-acting spiral spring 6) will be interposed between said springs to restore them to their normal relation when the deiiecting force ceases to act.

It will be evident to one skilled in the art (without further illustration or description) that a sin gle-member stem centrally connected with the head, said head yieldingly supported by a spring or otherwise, so as to be longitudinally and pivotally movable on the stem, will possess some of the features and advantages hereinbefore set forth; but such a construction is not herein recommended, preference being given by me either to a plu rality of stems, as shown in Patent No.480, 839, hereinbefore referred to, or a stem having a plurality of members, as herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a car-eoupling, the combination of a draft and bufling stem, and a coupler-head yieldingly supported and longitudinally movable on said stem; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draft-stem, a coupler-head having a longitudinal movement on the draft-stem, and an interposed longitudinally-acting spring; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination with a coupler-head, of a stem having a plurality of members said head being pivotally connected with one of said members and having a longitudinally movable yieldingly supported connection with another of said mc1nbers; substantially as and for the purposes speciiied.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination with a stem having a plurality of members, of a head longitudinally movable on and pivotally connected with said members, and longitudinally-acting springs interposed between and bearing ou said members and head; substantially as and for the purposes speeiiicd.

5. ln a car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-head and a stem, one of which is provided with an elongated slot and the other with a pin, and a resilient medium, interposed between and bearing on said head and stein; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

G. In a car-coupling, the combination with a coupler-head, of a `bifureated stem with the forks of which said head is connected, said head having a longitudinal movement upon one fork of said stem and a pivotal connection with the other fork, and a single set of follower-plates and draft spring; substantially as and for the purposes specied.

7. In a car-coupling, the combination with a coupler-head, of a stem having a plurality of converging and pivotally-connected members, and a single set of follower-plates and draft-sprin g; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

8. In a car-coupling, the combination with a coupler-head, of a stem having a plurality of converging members, said head being longitudinally movable on the stem, of a series of springs corresponding in number with and interposed between the members of said stem and the head, and a single set of followerplates and draft-spring; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of May, 1895.

HARRY C. BUIIOUI.

Witnesses:

R. C. ILiLLn'rr, R.. E. JANNEY, 

